The Life & Work of Our Church
Church Board:
The official Board consists of a representative from each of the eleven functioning committees – Christian Education, Communications, Finance, Ministry and Personnel, Property, Social Action and Global Concerns, Spiritual Care and Membership, Stewardship, Worship and Music, Youth Trust Fund, and Trustees. The Board meets monthly except for July, August, and December. The committees/teams meet monthly, bi-monthly, or as necessary.
Mission and Service Outreach:
Grace Church has an active Mission and Service Outreach with weekly “minute for Mission” readings and at least one special service a year.
The Mission and Service Fund raises over $37,000 annually, with a further $9000 for local mission projects.
We also have a Canadian Foodgrains Bank Project on 20 acres of donated land raising approximately $7000.
Sunday Worship:
The church service begins at 10:30 a.m. with an initial focus on “Children’s Time,” after which the children go to Sunday School.
The service continues with music, choir, preaching, and prayer times. An informal coffee time where members can socialize and connect with each other follows the church service.
Nursery Service:
The nursery is well equipped with appropriate toys, books, diaper changing stations, and beds. It has been recently renovated. The nursery operates from the Fall to the Spring. There are approximately 3 – 5 children and infants who attend regularly. A nursery coordinator position has been created, sanctioned by the church board, with responsibilities of safety, programming, and a nurturing atmosphere as its mandate.
Sunday School:
The Sunday School classes meet in the rooms under the sanctuary from September till June. There are
approximately 5 – 10 children, ages 4 – 12 years, who attend regularly. Volunteers teach one month at a time
once or twice per year.
Community Outreach:
The church building serves as a meeting place for a number of community groups such as Al-Anon, Guiding, Scouting, TOPS, St. John Ambulance, “The Deck”; a youth drop-in center in the heart of the Hanover community, Hanover Horticultural Society, and others.
Bruce Presbytery Resource Centre:
Grace United Church hosts the Resource Centre for Bruce Presbytery. Accessibility of resources for church personnel and lay persons is timely and efficient since the separate telephone and fax connections have been installed. Our church secretary is employed on a part time basis to assist with the purchase of books and resources as required.
Choir:
The Grace United Church choir is very active with at least 15 members. An excellent Choir/Music Director and Church Accompanist bring out the best in our music during worship. Grace choir and congregation are now using hymns from “More Voices.”
Group Activity:
A United Church Women’s Group meets monthly with an average of seventeen members in attendance. Women of the church cater funeral luncheons, and have raised over $6000 for the Mission and Service Fund in 2011. Bible Study and Book Study groups are active during the year.
Trust Fund:
Grace Church is fortunate to have the “Charles and Olive Wright Memorial Youth Trust Fund” which was established over 25 years ago from a bequest given by relatives of the Wright family.
There is approximately $150,000 in the fund, the interest of which is used to fund various youth activities such as summer camps, band trips, etc. A portion of the Youth /Young Families Ministry is funded by the Trust Fund.
Stewardship:
A financial stewardship campaign is launched every fall, under the guidance of the Stewardship Team. Special events are planned during the campaign and the congregation respond generously. The stewardship campaign continues each fall. In 2008, it was our 150th anniversary celebration.
Style:
Grace has a formal non-discriminatory marriage policy and we are open to same gender marriages with Board approval. Services are generally traditional in nature, but many congregational members
tend to be liberal minded in our theological views. Church members are community minded, engaging in community service and volunteering in a caring compassionate and supportive way.
Community Partners
Girl Guides of Canada - Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders www.girlguides.ca
Scouts Canada - Scouts, Beavers, Cubs www.scouts.ca
T(ake).O(ff).P(ounds).S(ensibily). www.tops.org
Al-Anon www.al-anon.alateen.on.ca
Victorian Order of Nurses - SMART Program www.von.ca
Local Missions Supported
Canadian Foodgrains Bank www.foodgrainsbank.ca
Hospital Chaplaincy Program www.gbhs.on.ca/programs.php?pgid=113
Saugeen Mobility & Regional Transit www.saugeenmobility.ca
Queen's Bush Rural Ministries www.farmersincrisis.ca
Canadian Bible Society www.canadianbiblesociety.ca
Women's House of Grey Bruce www.whsbg.on.ca
Youth for Christ - Hanover www.yfchanover.com
Habitat for Humanity - Grey Bruce www.habitatgreybruce.ca
Alzheimer Society of Ontario www.alzheimer.ca.on
United Church of Canada Links
United Church of Canada www.united-church.ca
Wonder Cafe www.wondercafe.ca
United Church Resource Distribution www.ucrdstore.ca
United Church You Tube Channel www.youtube.com/user/unitedchurchofcanada?gl=CA&hl=en
The official Board consists of a representative from each of the eleven functioning committees – Christian Education, Communications, Finance, Ministry and Personnel, Property, Social Action and Global Concerns, Spiritual Care and Membership, Stewardship, Worship and Music, Youth Trust Fund, and Trustees. The Board meets monthly except for July, August, and December. The committees/teams meet monthly, bi-monthly, or as necessary.
Mission and Service Outreach:
Grace Church has an active Mission and Service Outreach with weekly “minute for Mission” readings and at least one special service a year.
The Mission and Service Fund raises over $37,000 annually, with a further $9000 for local mission projects.
We also have a Canadian Foodgrains Bank Project on 20 acres of donated land raising approximately $7000.
Sunday Worship:
The church service begins at 10:30 a.m. with an initial focus on “Children’s Time,” after which the children go to Sunday School.
The service continues with music, choir, preaching, and prayer times. An informal coffee time where members can socialize and connect with each other follows the church service.
Nursery Service:
The nursery is well equipped with appropriate toys, books, diaper changing stations, and beds. It has been recently renovated. The nursery operates from the Fall to the Spring. There are approximately 3 – 5 children and infants who attend regularly. A nursery coordinator position has been created, sanctioned by the church board, with responsibilities of safety, programming, and a nurturing atmosphere as its mandate.
Sunday School:
The Sunday School classes meet in the rooms under the sanctuary from September till June. There are
approximately 5 – 10 children, ages 4 – 12 years, who attend regularly. Volunteers teach one month at a time
once or twice per year.
Community Outreach:
The church building serves as a meeting place for a number of community groups such as Al-Anon, Guiding, Scouting, TOPS, St. John Ambulance, “The Deck”; a youth drop-in center in the heart of the Hanover community, Hanover Horticultural Society, and others.
Bruce Presbytery Resource Centre:
Grace United Church hosts the Resource Centre for Bruce Presbytery. Accessibility of resources for church personnel and lay persons is timely and efficient since the separate telephone and fax connections have been installed. Our church secretary is employed on a part time basis to assist with the purchase of books and resources as required.
Choir:
The Grace United Church choir is very active with at least 15 members. An excellent Choir/Music Director and Church Accompanist bring out the best in our music during worship. Grace choir and congregation are now using hymns from “More Voices.”
Group Activity:
A United Church Women’s Group meets monthly with an average of seventeen members in attendance. Women of the church cater funeral luncheons, and have raised over $6000 for the Mission and Service Fund in 2011. Bible Study and Book Study groups are active during the year.
Trust Fund:
Grace Church is fortunate to have the “Charles and Olive Wright Memorial Youth Trust Fund” which was established over 25 years ago from a bequest given by relatives of the Wright family.
There is approximately $150,000 in the fund, the interest of which is used to fund various youth activities such as summer camps, band trips, etc. A portion of the Youth /Young Families Ministry is funded by the Trust Fund.
Stewardship:
A financial stewardship campaign is launched every fall, under the guidance of the Stewardship Team. Special events are planned during the campaign and the congregation respond generously. The stewardship campaign continues each fall. In 2008, it was our 150th anniversary celebration.
Style:
Grace has a formal non-discriminatory marriage policy and we are open to same gender marriages with Board approval. Services are generally traditional in nature, but many congregational members
tend to be liberal minded in our theological views. Church members are community minded, engaging in community service and volunteering in a caring compassionate and supportive way.
Community Partners
Girl Guides of Canada - Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders www.girlguides.ca
Scouts Canada - Scouts, Beavers, Cubs www.scouts.ca
T(ake).O(ff).P(ounds).S(ensibily). www.tops.org
Al-Anon www.al-anon.alateen.on.ca
Victorian Order of Nurses - SMART Program www.von.ca
Local Missions Supported
Canadian Foodgrains Bank www.foodgrainsbank.ca
Hospital Chaplaincy Program www.gbhs.on.ca/programs.php?pgid=113
Saugeen Mobility & Regional Transit www.saugeenmobility.ca
Queen's Bush Rural Ministries www.farmersincrisis.ca
Canadian Bible Society www.canadianbiblesociety.ca
Women's House of Grey Bruce www.whsbg.on.ca
Youth for Christ - Hanover www.yfchanover.com
Habitat for Humanity - Grey Bruce www.habitatgreybruce.ca
Alzheimer Society of Ontario www.alzheimer.ca.on
United Church of Canada Links
United Church of Canada www.united-church.ca
Wonder Cafe www.wondercafe.ca
United Church Resource Distribution www.ucrdstore.ca
United Church You Tube Channel www.youtube.com/user/unitedchurchofcanada?gl=CA&hl=en
